Executive Team Bio – Granite Escrow & Settlement Services

Granite Escrow & Settlement Services has one of the most extensive corporate teams, designed to aid and assist our branches and escrow officers at the local level. With over 200 years of combined management experience, our corporate team allows our escrow officers to focus solely on their escrow transactions and their clients. Below is a list of our corporate team:

Kris Kartozian President Barry Sender Chief Operating Officer & CCO Janet Moore Senior Trust Accounting Manager Julie McMillan Vice President of Escrow Operations Sheila Bracha Manager of Escrow Operations Bryce Moore Operations Manager

Kris Kartozian President

A graduate of Stanford University, Kris Kartozian joined First American Financial Corporation as an Associate Financial Analyst in 2011 after early graduation.

With a commitment to excellence and hard work, his diligence paid off and, over the course of 8 years, he advanced within the organization, receiving numerous promotions until he was appointed Vice President of Operations in 2016. Three years later, Kris was named President of The Heritage Escrow Company, where he skillfully led the premier independent escrow company and its talented team.

First American Financial acquired Granite Escrow & Settlement Services at the end of 2021 and – due to his outstanding track record – appointed Kris as its President in 2022.

When Kris isn’t at the helm guiding Granite’s world-class escrow operations, you can find him either on the golf course with friends or spending quality time with his wife Chloe and their two adopted golden retrievers – Charley & Baxter.

Barry Sender Chief Operating Officer & CCO

Barry Sender

As the Chief Operating, Chief Compliance & Chief Information Security Officer, Barry Sender is the driving force behind Granite Escrow & Settlement Services’ unparalleled cutting-edge security protocols and operating procedures.

His vast experience in running operations for many large corporations and his combination of analytical, financial and IT knowledge – balanced with frontline operations, business development, finance and general management experience – helped him guide the company in obtaining and maintaining its prestigious SSAE 18 SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 Attestations every year since 2016.

In addition, Barry has effectively led the charge to implement modernized CRM software; enhanced escrow operations software; AI for network monitoring; best-in-class endpoint security together with a 24/7 Security Operations Center; and was responsible for relocating Granite Escrow’s data center to the most secure data center in the nation.

Not only has Barry spearheaded elevating Granite Escrow’s standards of operations and practices to rival that of any major title company or bank, his continued membership and active participation in InfraGard (a partnership between the FBI and members of the private sector for the protection of U.S. Critical Infrastructure), DHS - HCIN - Cyber Mission Center, and OCIAC - Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center, contribute to Granite Escrow’s superior InfoSec initiatives to secure clients’ physical and digital assets and to safeguard the company against any potential threats. In addition, he currently serves as an advisory member of the Department of Financial Protection & Innovation's (DFPI) Escrow Law Advisory Committee (2024-2026).

Barry has been an outstanding leader throughout his career. From his early days with the Zale Corporation and Federated Department Stores, to his more recent executive leadership roles in consumer goods importing & distribution, healthcare information systems and telecommunications, Barry has been credited for instituting transformational change in organizations to improve company culture resulting in increased revenue, greater turn profits and increased shareholder value.

A resident of Newport Coast, CA, Barry is married to his wife Adriana and they have two children – Dominic and Jacqueline.

If you have any compliance questions or concerns, Barry can be contacted at [email protected].

Janet Moore Senior Trust Accounting Manager

Janet Moore is Granite Escrow & Settlement Services’ expert Senior Trust Accounting Manager.

Ms. Moore has over 25 years of experience in both trust accounting and escrow and runs Granite Escrow’s trust accounting operations. Janet originally started her career with Spring Mountain Escrow in 1991. Janet has since been working with Brad Cohen for many years, initially at Heritage Escrow before transitioning to Granite Escrow in 2010.

Janet is very detailed-oriented, skilled and knowledgeable and is exceptional at what she does. She is passionate about the people that make up Granite Escrow and is extremely friendly and caring, lending a hand whenever it is needed.

Janet believes strongly in Granite Escrow’s tagline and core values; ‘our strength is in our people’ and ‘we strive to deliver excellence in all that we do’. She works diligently to provide the best possible service to Granite Escrow’s clients.

Janet was born and raised in Southern California and while she is an avid traveler, she always loves coming home to her three grown boys and the beautiful weather.

Julie McMillan Vice President of Escrow Operations

Local escrow industry veteran Julie McMillan joined the Granite Escrow corporate team as Vice President of Escrow Operations in June 2021, after serving for five years as the manager of the Newport Beach branch.

Prior to joining Granite, Julie spent 35 years as an escrow officer in the Newport Beach coastal area. She built and maintained respected Broker/Agent relationships over the course of her tenure and successfully closed escrow for many of the area’s homeowners and families. Her career was built on a foundation of solid communication, investment in and attention to the nuances of every transaction, as well as discreet and respectful client care.

Since escrow is an ever-evolving business of hands-on experience, Julie – now a part of the Granite Corporate team – thrives on the opportunity to act as a trusted resource and to support her colleagues by sharing her expertise, technical knowledge, and the lessons learnt through years of day-to-day escrow practice.

Julie graduated from University of California, Irvine, with a Bachelor of Arts in History and has lived in Newport Beach ever since. Her family is close by and, when not working, she is happiest outside either in or on the water.

Sheila Bracha Manager of Escrow Operations

Sheila Bracha is Granite Escrow & Settlement Services’ Manager of Escrow Operations. Mrs. Bracha is no stranger to the escrow industry, with over 25 years of experience working in the settlement industry and hailing from a family of escrow officers.

Sheila started her career in 1992 working for her family owned independent escrow company as a receptionist and messenger. Mrs. Bracha progressed quickly to assume the role of escrow assistant, while simultaneously undertaking a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of California, Irvine. On the completion of her studies, Sheila started her full time career as an Escrow Officer.

Sheila has since had the opportunity to work in positions of leadership for one of the leading escrow software providers in the country. Here she was able to acquire extensive knowledge in settlement software design and document management, while developing her training and support skills.

Sheila brings knowledge and expertise to the Granite Escrow corporate team and has taken great strides in improving and streamlining our systems. Sheila works diligently to ensure that all Granite Escrow employees are kept abreast of company policy and industry updates through her cutting-edge employee training program.

Bryce Moore Operations Manager

Born and raised in Orange County, Bryce Moore served as an assistant department manager at Macy’s and an investment banker with Wells Fargo before embarking on his current career with Granite Escrow & Settlement Services.

In 2018, Bryce joined Granite Escrow in our renowned Trust Accounting Department. From there, he transferred to Escrow Operations where he took the initiative to master the ins and outs of the Escrow software, making him a valuable resource for the company. His hard work paid off and in 2021, Bryce was named Operations Manager.

In his current position, Bryce works directly with Granite Escrow’s Chief Operating Officer to assist in day-to-day operations, work with auditors, and coordinate larger IT, equipment, software, and upgrade projects.

When away from the office, Bryce enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife and two children.